Patents by Inventor Baifang Zuo

Baifang Zuo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10982593
    Abstract: A combustion system includes a head end comprising a liquid fuel cartridge. The liquid fuel cartridge has liquid fuel injection ports and is configured to produce combustion products via a diffusion flame. A liner is configured to deliver the combustion products from the head end to an aft frame, and an injector having an outlet is located along the liner between the head end and the aft frame. The injector outlet delivers a stream of oxidant inwardly into the liner, such that a mixedness and a velocity of the combustion products are increased prior to the combustion products reaching the aft frame. A method of producing combustion products having characteristics of a premixed flame in a liquid fuel combustion system is also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, Mark William Pinson, Baifang Zuo, Lucas John Stoia, Timothy James Purcell
  • Publication number: 20180363551
    Abstract: A combustion system includes a head end comprising a liquid fuel cartridge. The liquid fuel cartridge has liquid fuel injection ports and is configured to produce combustion products via a diffusion flame. A liner is configured to deliver the combustion products from the head end to an aft frame, and an injector having an outlet is located along the liner between the head end and the aft frame. The injector outlet delivers a stream of oxidant inwardly into the liner, such that a mixedness and a velocity of the combustion products are increased prior to the combustion products reaching the aft frame. A method of producing combustion products having characteristics of a premixed flame in a liquid fuel combustion system is also provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, Mark William Pinson, Baifang Zuo, Lucas John Stoia, Timothy James Purcell
  • Patent number: 9835089
    Abstract: A system includes an oxidant compressor and a gas turbine engine turbine, which includes a turbine combustor, a turbine, and an exhaust gas compressor. The turbine combustor includes a plurality of diffusion fuel nozzles, each including a first oxidant conduit configured to inject a first oxidant through a plurality of first oxidant openings configured to impart swirling motion to the first oxidant in a first rotational direction, a first fuel conduit configured to inject a first fuel through a plurality of first fuel openings configured to impart swirling motion to the first fuel in a second rotational direction, and a second oxidant conduit configured to inject a second oxidant through a plurality of second oxidant openings configured to impart swirling motion to the second oxidant in a third rotational direction. The first fuel conduit surrounds the first oxidant conduit and the second oxidant conduit surrounds the first fuel conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: General Electric Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy
  • Patent number: 9140454
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor, an end cover mounted to the combustor, and an injection nozzle assembly operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle assembly includes a cap member having a first surface that extends to a second surface. The cap member further includes a plurality of openings. A plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies are detachably mounted in the plurality of openings in the cap member. Each of the plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies includes a main body section having a first end section and a second end section. A fluid plenum is arranged within the main body section. A plurality of tubes extend between the first and second end sections. Each of the plurality of tubes is fluidly connected to the fluid plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm
  • Patent number: 9121612
    Abstract: A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap having an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface, and tube bundles extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface. A divider inside a tube bundle defines a diluent passage that extends axially through the downstream surface, and a diluent supply in fluid communication with the divider provides diluent flow to the diluent passage. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing a fuel through tube bundles, flowing a diluent through a diluent passage inside a tube bundle, wherein the diluent passage extends axially through at least a portion of the end cap into a combustion chamber, and forming a diluent barrier in the combustion chamber between the tube bundle and at least one other adjacent tube bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York
  • Patent number: 8959921
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of primary nozzles configured to diffuse or premix fuel into an air flow through the combustor; and a secondary nozzle configured to premix fuel with the air flow. Each premixing nozzle includes a center body, at least one vane, a burner tube provided around the center body, at least two cooling passages, a fuel cooling passage to cool surfaces of the center body and the at least one vane, and an air cooling passage to cool a wall of the burner tube. The cooling passages prevent the walls of the center body, the vane(s), and the burner tube from overheating during flame holding events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Chunyang Wu, Baifang Zuo, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8925323
    Abstract: A system includes a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a center body configured to receive a first portion of air and to deliver the air to a combustion region. The fuel nozzle also includes a swirler configured to receive a second portion of air and to deliver the air to the combustion region. The swirler includes an outer shroud wall, an inner hub wall, and a swirl vane. The swirl vane includes a radial swirl profile at a downstream edge of the swirl vane. The radial swirl profile includes a region extending from the outer shroud wall to a first transition point and a second region extending from the transition point to the inner hub wall. At least one of the first and second regions is substantially straight and at least one of the first and second regions is arcuate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Baifang Zuo
  • Patent number: 8925324
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor section, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor section, an end cover mounted to the combustor, and an injection nozzle assembly operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle assembly includes a plurality of mixing tube elements. Each of the plurality of mixing tube elements includes a conduit having a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet arranged downstream from the first fluid inlet, a discharge end arranged downstream from the first and second fluid inlets, and a vortex generator arranged between the first and second fluid inlets. The vortex generator is configured and disposed to create multiple vortices within the conduit to mix first and second fluids passing through each of the plurality of mixing tube elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Chunyang Wu, Baifang Zuo
  • Publication number: 20150000299
    Abstract: A system includes an oxidant compressor and a gas turbine engine turbine, which includes a turbine combustor, a turbine, and an exhaust gas compressor. The turbine combustor includes a plurality of diffusion fuel nozzles, each including a first oxidant conduit configured to inject a first oxidant through a plurality of first oxidant openings configured to impart swirling motion to the first oxidant in a first rotational direction, a first fuel conduit configured to inject a first fuel through a plurality of first fuel openings configured to impart swirling motion to the first fuel in a second rotational direction, and a second oxidant conduit configured to inject a second oxidant through a plurality of second oxidant openings configured to impart swirling motion to the second oxidant in a third rotational direction. The first fuel conduit surrounds the first oxidant conduit and the second oxidant conduit surrounds the first fuel conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy
  • Patent number: 8875516
    Abstract: A turbomachine combustor includes a combustion chamber; a plurality of micro-mixer nozzles mounted to an end cover of the combustion chamber, each including a fuel supply pipe affixed to a nozzle body located within the combustion chamber, wherein fuel from the supply pipe mixes with air in the nozzle body prior to discharge into the combustion chamber; and wherein at least some of the nozzle bodies of the plurality of micro-mixer nozzles have axial length dimensions that differ from axial length dimensions of other of the nozzle bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Baifang Zuo, William David York, Shivakumar Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20140144152
    Abstract: A premixer includes an air tube formed in a burner tube defining a longitudinal axis, and a coaxially disposed fuel tube with a turbulence enhancing chevron outlet. The fuel tube may include an exterior tube and an interior tube with the interior tube, the exterior tube or both having chevron outlets. The chevron outlets may be tapered and notched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20140144141
    Abstract: A premixer includes an air tube formed in a burner tube defining a longitudinal axis, and a coaxially disposed fuel tube with a turbulence enhancing chevron outlet. The fuel tube may include an exterior tube and an interior tube with the interior tube, the exterior tube or both having chevron outlets. The chevron outlets may be tapered and notched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8707672
    Abstract: A combustor includes an end cap having a perforated downstream plate and a combustion chamber downstream of the downstream plate. A plenum is in fluid communication with the downstream plate and supplies a cooling medium to the combustion chamber through the perforations in the downstream plate. A method for cooling a combustor includes flowing a cooling medium into a combustor end cap and impinging the cooling medium on a downstream plate in the combustor end cap. The method further includes flowing the cooling medium into a combustion chamber through perforations in the downstream plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Roy Marshall Washam, Chunyang Wu
  • Patent number: 8607568
    Abstract: A combustion system includes a first combustion chamber and a second combustion chamber. The second combustion chamber is positioned downstream of the first combustion chamber. The combustion system also includes a pre-mixed, direct-injection secondary fuel nozzle. The pre-mixed, direct-injection secondary fuel nozzle extends through the first combustion chamber into the second combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Thomas Johnson, Willy Ziminsky, Abdul Khan
  • Publication number: 20130283805
    Abstract: A system includes a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a center body configured to receive a first portion of air and to deliver the air to a combustion region. The fuel nozzle also includes a swirler configured to receive a second portion of air and to deliver the air to the combustion region. The swirler includes an outer shroud wall, an inner hub wall, and a swirl vane. The swirl vane includes a radial swirl profile at a downstream edge of the swirl vane. The radial swirl profile includes a region extending from the outer shroud wall to a first transition point and a second region extending from the transition point to the inner hub wall. At least one of the first and second regions is substantially straight and at least one of the first and second regions is arcuate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Baifang Zuo
  • Patent number: 8539773
    Abstract: A fuel/air mixing tube for use in a fuel/air mixing tube bundle is provided. The fuel/air mixing tube includes an outer tube wall extending axially along a tube axis between an inlet end and an exit end, the outer tube wall having a thickness extending between an inner tube surface having a inner diameter and an outer tube surface having an outer tube diameter. The tube further includes at least one fuel injection hole having a fuel injection hole diameter extending through the outer tube wall, the fuel injection hole having an injection angle relative to the tube axis. The invention provides good fuel air mixing with low combustion generated NOx and low flow pressure loss translating to a high gas turbine efficiency, that is durable, and resistant to flame holding and flash back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Paul Lacy, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm, Baifang Zuo
  • Publication number: 20130227953
    Abstract: A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap having an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface, and tube bundles extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface. A divider inside a tube bundle defines a diluent passage that extends axially through the downstream surface, and a diluent supply in fluid communication with the divider provides diluent flow to the diluent passage. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing a fuel through tube bundles, flowing a diluent through a diluent passage inside a tube bundle, wherein the diluent passage extends axially through at least a portion of the end cap into a combustion chamber, and forming a diluent barrier in the combustion chamber between the tube bundle and at least one other adjacent tube bundle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York
  • Publication number: 20130227955
    Abstract: A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap having an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface, and tube bundles extend through the end cap. A diluent supply in fluid communication with the end cap provides diluent flow to the end cap. Diluent distributors circumferentially arranged inside at least one tube bundle extend downstream from the downstream surface and provide fluid communication for the diluent flow through the end cap. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing fuel through tube bundles that extend axially through an end cap, flowing a diluent through diluent distributors into a combustion chamber, wherein the diluent distributors are circumferentially arranged inside at least one tube bundle and each diluent distributor extends downstream from the end cap, and forming a diluent barrier in the combustion chamber between at least one pair of adjacent tube bundles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York
  • Patent number: 8511086
    Abstract: A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap having an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface, and tube bundles extend through the end cap. A diluent supply in fluid communication with the end cap provides diluent flow to the end cap. Diluent distributors circumferentially arranged inside at least one tube bundle extend downstream from the downstream surface and provide fluid communication for the diluent flow through the end cap. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing fuel through tube bundles that extend axially through an end cap, flowing a diluent through diluent distributors into a combustion chamber, wherein the diluent distributors are circumferentially arranged inside at least one tube bundle and each diluent distributor extends downstream from the end cap, and forming a diluent barrier in the combustion chamber between at least one pair of adjacent tube bundles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York
  • Patent number: 8511092
    Abstract: A fuel injection head for a fuel nozzle used in a gas turbine combustor includes a substantially hollow body formed with an upstream end face, a downstream end face and a peripheral wall extending therebetween. A plurality of pre-mix tubes or passages extend axially through the hollow body with inlets at the upstream end face and outlets at the downstream end face. An exterior surface of the downstream end face is formed with three-dimensional surface features that increase a total surface area of the exterior surface as compared to a substantially flat, planar downstream end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Kwanwoo Kim, Baifang Zuo